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Drake Hightower
Basic Information Born: 5th of Flamerule, 1465 DR (27 years old) Male Human (Waterdhavian) Bard Height: 5'11’’ Weight: 170 lbs Hair: Long, vibrant red. Skin: Fair Eyes: Dark Blue Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Distinguishing Marks: None Titles: Baron of Hightower (Or he would've been), Planner for Ki Lobos Education: Excellent, in line with a noble. Archetype: Healer, Support, Blaster, Dex-Skills Master, Face. Class Levels: Bard 14 (Lore) / Cleric 1 (Tymora, Life) Str 8, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 22 What his ability scores mean: He obviously is not a strength attacker, and the dexterity is mostly for sneaking and lockpicking these days. He is educated, but not overly book smart. Never really cared for learning and reading. He's more about getting out and experiencing. He's good at picking up spells from watching others. He knows a lot about strategy because of experience. Drake's real power is in his ability to read people (Wisdom) and that he knows people (Charisma). He knows how to trick them and how to predict what they will do in combat. Family: Father: Lord Evander Hightower (Deceased), Mother: Astra Hightower (Deceased), Brother: Horace Hightower, Sister: River Hightower (Formerly Deceased, now Resurrected), Mentor: Bane Brigun "It's not luck if my strategies work all the time. Of course, to call them strategies means they probably need to be planned..." Drake has a history of coming up with the most impressive strategies in real time based on the weaknesses of his opponents. Talk, I come up with his strategies ahead of time, but purposefully tell no one.. because Drake's Int is by no means good. With Aerisi Kalinoth, it was befriending her bard and playing a great song to impress her. Then it was playing turncoat and feigning surprise when Zilfryn went on the attack. At a critical juncture, he was able to get close to her and cast Contagion on her to prevent her from taking action until they were able to take her down. Another notable use of this sort of tactic was when he used Invisibility and flew up the waterfall in the Temple of the Crushing Wave. He appeared next to the boss and paralyzed him. One time he used suggestion to tell a sahuagin to hold something for him and walk as far as he could in a random direction, only to find out it was a devastation orb, basically an elemental bomb. With most human opponents he either walks in like he owns the place and convinces him he belongs there, tricks them into letting him in or just uses Invisibility and just bypasses everything. In combat he makes frequent use of Suggestion and Domination to turn his foes against one another. He calls it 'preventive healing' and claims he is a healer, because he COULD heal, but he counts that as a losing strategy. If all preventive measures fail, he usually just uses his Magical Secrets Fireball and Disintegrate or his Staff of Power to blast things. Or he uses his pouch of ball bearings with Animate Objects. He also had the presence of mind to learn Contingency with Magic Secrets and link a Contingency to Revivify for himself. "Famous bard, hero to these lands! I'm sure you've heard of me." Drake was born to Lord and Lady Hightower, with an older brother Horace, and an older sister, River. The three were trained by a master thief and dabbler in magic and combat, Bane Brigun. The three children (grown but making their way in the world) away from home, returned to find their parents murdered, their estate burned to the ground. (I know who murdered Drake's parents, he doesn't know yet though). They decided they would follow clues and find the killer, becoming adventurers to become powerful enough to get revenge. But on their first mission, River fell in battle with monsters. They used the last of their parents' fortune to attempt to raise River, then when it didn't work give her a funeral. Horace blamed Drake, and the brothers went their separate ways, both vowing to find their parents' killers in their own way. Four years passed. So far, all Drake had in leads was that it was a member of a cult, possibly a death cult. Drake took up robbing cults, tombs, and 'using his talents' to get by. He was in trouble with the law quite a few times, but he could easily get out of prison just as easily as he could get in. His travels brought him to Red Larch and brought him in contact with Ki Lobos. And his life was never the same. "I'm a member of the cult, don't you see my robes?" Drake thought it was just another job when contractors in Red Larch sent him to Rivergard Keep to meet up with the yet-unnamed group of adventurers. He hadn't worked with groups much, but he fit right in with his ability to heal and get into places both socially and through lock picking. This was when Drake took a detour from his hunting for his father's killers. He decided he would stick with the group, now called Ki Lobos and get stronger, learn in magic and learn how to Resurrect people - namely his sister. She'd been dead for over 4 years, so it would take nothing less than a Resurrection spell, 7th level. It would be a long road. One of the most notable adventurers where Drake showed his unusual knack for consulting no one, walking in and performing an unusual and crazy series of actions only to come out on top was at the Temple of Howling Hatred. During the incursion in Temple of the Crushing Wave, Drake's brother Horace comes to warn him about the coming demon incursion (Season 3). His demonic patron leaked it. But Drake claims to be busy and implores him to help Ki Lobos finish off the elementals. He gives him Windvane to hold, and when Horace attunes to it, he releases all responsibility (the flaw granted by Windvane) and is easily able to be coaxed into staying with them until the demon invasion proper begins. All in all Ki Lobos was able to conquer the elemental lords themselves because of their tireless efforts and due in no small part to Drake's powers. "Welcome to Rivergard Inn." During their travels, ZIlfryn and Drake formulated a plan to restore Rivergard to a working condition and turn it in to an Inn. Turns out there is a lot of market for this kind of thing in this region and they were a runaway success. Rivergard Inn is now a tavern, inn, smith, magic item research library and shipping company. After the war with elemental evil is over, they expand to create The Four Elements Tavern and Inn in Hilsfar and The Waterdhavian Inn of Wonder, with teleportation service and teleport-shipping between the three regions. It is true he has alterior motives for placing one of their Inns in Waterdeep, his hometown. Someday he'll have time again to search for his parents' killer. River's Resurrection, Search for River At the end of the Elemental Evil campaign, near the end of Highsun, 1491 DR, Drake hosts a celebration with the finest wines and a banquet in honor of the heroes of Ki Lobos out in the courtyard. He gives a speech, and patrons enjoy a nice reception. The entire time he is speaking and through the whole celebration, they are aware that the bard touches not a drop of alcohol. Also, there is a conspicuous casket. Finally, Drake begins to set up some sort of ritual, not disturbing anyone. He sprinkles a ring of diamond dust across the casket. All the while there is an eerie energy gathering near the site. After a while, nobody wishes to go near it. At last, he turns to everyone, dinging on a glass, “I must confess the celebration was only secondary. I am a theatrical man. The reason I asked you here today was to welcome my sister back into this world. The power granted me by Tymora has allowed me to prepare a Resurrection spell.” Then he speaks a command word to finish the spell. He raises his hands, and holy light shoots into the casket. It flies open, and the diamond dust vaporizes. A young red-haired woman’s naked form wholly constructs itself from thin air. She sits up, gasping for breath. Horace approaches her with a cloak. Fear fills her eyes, “Who are you? Where am I? No no no no, you’ll not trick me again! This is a trick!” She leaps out of the casket, ripping out a table leg and sending a table toppling to the ground. She speaks a word of magic and the table leg glows with natural magic. “You’ll not touch me again! Even if I have to die!” After several moments, she is able to be calmed down, but her eyes show hatred and mistrust. Horace leads her into the Inn. Drake shouts, “Well, it was an amazing display anyway. You can imagine someone who came back from the dead would be hysterical. Please, continue the celebration. Have a drink on me!” With that, the party continues. River holes up in the room she is given. For the next few days, Horace and Drake take turns bringing her food, which she devours, but she says very little. Finally, Horace bursts in her room when he gets no response, and she is gone. He finds a note on her bed that reads, “I am River Hightower. I don’t know if any of you are who you say you are, or if I am where you say I am. I need to find out on my own. DO not follow me. We are all in great danger. Faerun is in great danger.” In the meantime, Ki Lobos focuses on growing their business, and it grows by leaps and bounds. Drake pays Baston and Ciosa handsomely to seek out and track River and keep Horace up to date. But Ciosa disappears somewhere to the east. Baston is able to reach her in Sloopludop in the Underdark, before they are separated by Demogorgon's attack. When Warriors Without Borders is in Sloopludop during Demogorgon's attack in 2nd of Ches 1492, (including River) Drake decides he will intervene, taking along Morgana and Horace. They teleport them near Gracklstugh. Finally, during their stint in Gracklstugh, River is found and cured by Drake's mentor, Bane Brigun. She takes a long journey to the surface through Blingdenstone with Sloth, and arrives at Rivergard as Drake is mobilizing all the adventurers he knows to strike back at the demons and fire giants. Drake Alone: It's All in the Blood! On the 5th- 15th of Ches, 1492 DR: "There was recently a call to arms to help the drow. You know, devils we know and all that, so I decided I would dust off my adventuring boots and give it a try all by my lonesome." After getting a mission to go to the underdark to save a drow mage, Drake heads through the waydown. He meets only environmental challenges and a couple slaves, who he heals, then uses Teleportation Circle on to get them to safety. Then he continues on to the Den of the Whispered Word. The host, Maram Il Vass, is hospitable and is willing to haggle. Drake is able to get him down to 2000 gp with a 30 Persuasion check, which he takes out of the money he collected in the tunnels. He saves the wizard, so far bypassing every danger in front of him, and brings him back to Sporedome with a teleportation circle (rescuing all the prisoners with him). After two days, the drow tell him they need the blood of a living fire giant. There is a secret entrance to Maermydra through an outpost. SO Drake heads off. Getting in isn’t too hard. He peers through the crack in the obsidian doors and dimension doors to the other side, then uses invisibility and greater invisibility to waltz past all the giants and ogres and loot anything of use from their armory. Then he heads into Maermydra. He finds an imp in peril and, using a monstrous Intimidation check with Friends, he saves the imp. Pipyip wants to come with him, to which Drake says, “As long as you can stay concealed. I’m rolling invisible through here.” He throws up a normal invisibility and walks south to where he can see the coliseum in the distance. Pipyap has told him that one of the demonblooded fire giants works at the coliseum. When he reaches it, he downs a potion of fly he picked up earlier and flies overhead to find an exhibition between four drow and two nightmares. He glides over to the fire giant, Veperyd, and his host of 4 barlguras, still invisible and flying. He then casts Mass Suggestion, “All of you are my friends and want to help me out.” All targets fail except for one Barlgura *CUTTING WORDS* all targets fail. “All right, Veperyd, you’re going to come with me now.” Then he teleports himself, Pipyap and Veperyd to Sporedome so the drow can make their serum out of his blood. “And now I wash my hands of this weirdness,” Drake says with a grin, “Drop your coin in my pocket and I'll see you later." He assumes the drow mages can make their serum, but doesn't stick around to check. He's got a business empire to run! Fighting Back Against the Demons “Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Drake said, a voice carried by the wind. "Sorry. I haven't been able to find your sister since Sloobludop. This trail grew cold ages ago." "Hey, don't worry about it. Bane Brigun (not to be confused with the evil god) found her. Whatever weird warlock power he used seems to have cured her. Or... took the madness from her." "So what does that mean for my passage home?" "I'm sorry, Morgana hasn't been able to find Abeir, let alone craft a way to get there. But let me ask you something... how invested are you in this planet? You've enjoyed your stay so far, right?" "Well, yes." "How long have you been here on Toril?" Drake asked. "The Spellplague ended in what... 1479? So 13 years. Though I was born while the two planes were linked." "Just think about all that might have happened to Abeir in 13 years. Just think about all that has happened here in that time," Drake's said. “Thay’s attempt to summon powerful creatures into this world. The war with Tiamat. The elemental lords returning… and now the demons and madness.” “That’s right,” Drake’s voice faded from the sending and became live as he stepped into view, “And think of all the good you’ve done. "I had no idea you were coming,” Baston scratched his head, “And I haven’t done all that much. I protected the people of Greenest near the beginning of the Tiamat conflict by defeating Langdedrosa Cyanwrath, then I stayed with them after the raiders were gone.” “That was when I first heard of you. People thought you were with the raiders, but you distinguished yourself that day,” Drake replied. “I helped restore the old High Blade of Mulmaster back during the elemental conflict, fighting the evil clergy’s treachery.” “What about the underdark?” “Done a lot of muddling about in boats and underground,” Baston sighed. “Well, you’ll find out soon my plans for your group. Ki Lobos didn’t take long to get as powerful as we are. It is because we were against a wall in the Dessarin Valley. We had no support and had to deal with nearly all the conflict ourselves. It is time for you and yours to be forged like us,” Drake explained, “If you need any more convincing, think about this: someday Morgana or I will have access to a Wish spell. On that day you will be able to return to Abeir. Do you want to be able to defeat the forces of Tiamat? Do you want to prepare and get strong for that day?” Baston looked the red-haired bard dead in the eye, “What would you have me do?” “I’m glad you asked,” Drake’s eyes gleamed with purpose, “This is your first step. You are strong. I believe you can handle yourself. You will go, by yourself, to Skyreach Castle, and retrieve magic items that will equip your party. There is much left over there from the Tiamat conflict. Destroying evil dragon cults is right up your alley, isn’t it? They need to be in Gauntlgrym soon.” “Do you really believe I can?” “You were by yourself in Greenest and Mulmaster weren’t you? You’ll do fine,” Drake smiled, “Don’t worry. I’ll teleport you. Just leave me here to finish your watch.” “Davenport?” the kobold asked. “That’s right, my friend,” Baston smiled, “We’re going on a trip.” First, the bard handed Baston a greatsword, pulling it out of his bag of holding. Then he just handed him a bag of holding, “You’ll probably need this.” And finally, the bard started concentrating. He visualized the castle, now floating in the clouds, and the town just a stone’s throw away on the ground. His eyes shot open, then he said, “Sorry if I get you a little off target. I’ve never actually been there.” “What?! Never actually…” *POP* Baston vanished with his kobold Drake comes to what amounts to a coalition of Friends of Phlan and Warriors Without Borders, who have passed into the surface and are working on ridding Phandelver of baddies. “Good morning, adventurers. I’m Drake Hightower. I’m sure you’ve heard of me. It’s been a couple months since you left the Underdark via the road out of Gracklstugh. In that time the war with the fire giants has worsened considerably. I know, I was just in Maermydra. Madness runs rampant through the underdark. The demonic influence gets closer to infecting the surface every day.” “King Bruenor Battlehammer of Mithral Hall has put out a call to all adventurers of commensurate strength. It’s gotten bad enough that it’s even affecting the Shield Dwarves. The call is in nearly a month, on Greengrass, the start of spring." From there he gathers a few other companies, and a great deal of mercenaries to take the party to Gauntlgrym on Greengrass. “We are joined by Shatterhorn’s Company, who has been helping the drow with their war effort,” he motions to a minotaur, an aasimar, an ogre mage and a strange rabbit-man. The strangest bunch you have ever seen. “This is the Ten Thunders Clan,” he points to a group of dwarves, led by a firey female dwarf. “We are also joined by my friends, Warriors Without Borders, and the Friends of Phlan, may Tymora give Phlan better luck in the future,” there is a chuckle at that, “Friends, mercenaries, and everybody else who intends to make a quick bit of coin, Bruenor Battlehammer has put out a call. I know a lot of you haven’t felt the pain that the horrors of the underdark can bring to our doorstep. I know a lot of you are wondering why we should help out the drow. Do you know what is down there?” Drake points to the members of WWB, “They know. Baston Everstorm asked me the same thing. His only desire is to get home. I told him that there’ll be no home for any of us to go back to if we don’t go down there, and stop the demons. Stop the tainted and insane creatures that have been allowed to roam free. Who knows what is down there now that we have left them alone for months? So here is what I want. We will take this meeting to Mithril Hall, on the day of Greengrass. Tell your friends, tell your companions that there is enough demon to slay for all. You trusted groups will help root out the cause and eradicate it. During this time, Ki Lobos will be preparing. For when the time comes, we plan to take back Maermydra from the army of fiendblood fire giants that hold it.”__FORCETOC__ Drake's Base in Gauntlgrym Drake teleports them there on Greengrass. He stands back from delegations, preferring to gather information about the situation. He spends some time trying to figure out the source of the madness, and also Zilfryn's locatio, setting up shop in Gauntlgrym in one of the many unoccupied locations. "How are the shipments today, Morgana? Sorry I can't be there to help out today." "It's alright Drake. You're leading the charge. Just promise me you'll find him, alright?" "Of course. I am the famous bard after all. You know, it's been a little over a year now." "Since?" "I joined your organization. I remember we were storming Rivergard Keep and I barely had a prayer of helping the group out. Of course, there were a lot then." "Yes, we did lose a lot of them." "Damned war with the elementals. Titanium, Mckinley, Hawk, Elon. If only they would accept the resurrection," Drake sighed. "I bet they're happy on the other side." "Right. Anyway. I have to go. I think the Harpers want me to do something." He lowered the sending stone from his ear. "Why are you here?" Drake smiled. "Just visiting an old friend."